I am a wingnut and good people still exist

[jstrahn]

So I get out on the lake yesterday and I'm running about 40MPH when I hit a boat wake and the engine just stops. Go to start it up and it cranks but will not start. :mad:

So, here I am in the middle of the lake, hatch open, checking things with boats zooming by me. 20+ mph wind and ridiculous boat traffic so I can barely see straight with the boat rocking and rolling. Look and look but can't find a problem. :(

Pontoon pulls up and asks if I need some help. First off, for someone to even come over to check on us was great. So one of the guys on board says he's a mechanic and would I like him to take a look. I say sure, and SPLASH! he just jumps in the water and swims over. He looks for awhile and we figure out the injectors aren't spraying any fuel. Look a little further and he says, Oh...you're missing a wing nut! :bonk:

I had removed the positive terminal wing nut to put my amplifier power wire back on and forgotten to put it back on. So the fuel pump wasn't powering. The guy had an extra wing nut on his boat, twisted it on and the boat fired right up. :hyper:

Anyhow, that's my story. I'm a wingnut for forgetting to put the wingnut back on and that guy is really awesome for helping me out. I wish I had gotten his last name so I could look him up and send him something.

Sorry for the book but I was so elated once we figured out it was something so small even if I did feel like an idiot.

[gcarter]

'Toon boat folks are usually pretty cool.
When the Alpha on the Minx died, a 'Toon boat skipper volunteered to tow me in w/o any compensation.
I sure appreciated it.

[Offset]

You just never know what will stop some mechanical object dead in its tracks. In this case something really simple and that is good. I have found boat oriented people to be very helpful and perhaps we really do have to depend on one another.

Stuff happens and in a hurry to get things done something is typically forgotten. Not a wing nut at all just a guy wanting to get on the water. Have a great season.

[Jraysray]

But I do it all the time. Many times I have drug someone back, stopped or have done what I could. Including driving people to Autozone....... (Lets see if he will admit it here) most always strangers.

Let's say I believe in Karma and you need all that you can get when on the water.

For what its worth, I just gernaded my outdrive and no one was around...... Dam it karma!!!!

[jstrahn]

I definitely believe what goes around, comes around Jray and I'm glad that there are still people like you out there.

Perhaps the reason we were so fortunate is because when we were heading out on the water, a guy said his friend's boat died just outside the marina and asked if we could check on him.

Pulled up and the guy said they didn't put any oil in the engine after they dewinterized it. OOPS! He said someone was bringing some out to him. I gave him my number and told him to give me a call if he needed a tow back in.

Never got a call and he was gone when I circled back a bit later to check on him. His trailer was still in the lot so he must have gotten it going and had minimal or no damage.

[Just Say N20]

I almost always try and help out.

Once in Lake Michigan, in my 18 Donzi, I came across a guy with a dead 24' Challenger offshore. We were about 2 miles from the Port Sheldon ramp, and I offered to tow him to the ramp.

He asked if I would tow him 10 miles up the Lake to Grand Haven, and then down the river to where his trailer was! I explained that I had neither the time, nor the fuel to undertake such an adventure, and he copped a really bad attitude. He couldn't believe I wouldn't tow him to where his trailer was.

I came back from boating some time later, and he was still drifting. Apparently no one was inclined to make such a tow.

My memory is hazy regarding how the story ended. I seem to remember offering again to tow him to the Port Sheldon launch, as I was going that way to pull out, and this time he accepted.

[Conquistador_del_mar]

I have probably towed 3 boats to every time I was towed in over the years, so I guess I have some good Karma? For some reason, I towed many boats when I had my old 1953 Chris Craft 18' Riviera. It was a great feeling to tow the new boats behind the old mahoghany runabout with the original Hercules engine never once letting me down - :yes: Bill

[Carl C]

Yesterday when I was on Lake St. Clair just drifting a sailboat sailed right across my bow to be sure we were OK. A quick wave back and forth and they kept going.